Swimming device.



No. 644,593. Patented Mar, 6, I900.

M. GATES.

SWIMMING DEVICE.

[Application filed Sept. 8, 1899.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES! INVENTOR= Menu) Gxoftc s.

TM: NORRIS PETERS co" ama-Una. wAsumumu. n. c.

LII

UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

MENZO GATES, OF OOPEMISH, MICHIGAN.

SWIMMING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,593, dated March 6, 1900.

Application filed September 8, 1899. Serial No. 729,863. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MENZO GATES, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Oopemish, in the county of Manistee and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Swimming Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention; such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in swimming devices; and its object is to provide means for supporting a person in the water while swimming, whereby danger of drowning will be avoided and also a portion of the weight of the body will be yieldingly supported, so that the person swimming will freely rise and fall with the waves and at the same time have a part of the weight sustained at the various elevations of the surface of the water.

My device consists, essentially, of a cable stretched above the surface of the water and at a suitable distance therefrom and a vertically-yielding support movably connected to the cable at the upper end and extending downward therefrom and attached to the swimmer at its lower end, as will more fully appear by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 a detail of a portion of the cable and the support.

Like letters refer to like parts in both of the figures.

A A represent two suitable posts standing in the water and supporting the respective ends of a strong cable B, which cable is stretched tight between the posts by means of guys 0 and turnbuckles D. On this cable 13 is mounted any convenient number of grooved wheels E, journaled in depending yokesE, embracing the cable. Attached to these yokes are depending and longitudinallyyielding supports F, of coiled springs, rubber, or other like material, and attached to the lower end of each of said supports is a suitable belt G, adapted to be secured about the body of the swimmer.

From the foregoing the operation of my device will be readily understood. The yielding support sustains a portion of the weight of the swimmer, and thus prevents the body from sinking under the surface of the Water even though no sustaining effort be made by the swimmer, and as the waves rise and fall the support elongates and contracts to conform to the rise and fall of the surface of the water. The wheel runs freely to and fro on the cable, and thus permits the swimmer to progress through the water.

This device enables any one inexperienced in swimming to go into the water safely and to practice with confidence untilsuch person has learned to swim. As an element of safety its utility is obvious.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a swimming device, the combination of posts, a cable supported by the posts, guys and turnbuckles to stretch the cable, a wheel mounted on the cable, a yoke j ournaled to the wheel and spanning the cable, a longitudinally-yielding support depending from the yoke, and a belt attached to the lower end of the support, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

MENZO GATES.

lVitnesses:

F. MOREHOUSE, I ALBERT ERICKSON. 

